Since beginning our full-time journey to discover the country, we have found something to appreciate in every city and town we have passed through. We hope you enjoy reading about them as much as we have enjoyed discovering them!
No person, business or attraction has paid us for an endorsement.
| Coeur d’Alene | Harrison | |
| Population | 55,904 | 229 |
| Founded | 1887 | 1891 |
| Elevation | 2,188 | 2,205 |
| Average income | $27,910 | $28,333 |
| Average cost of a house | $505,000 | $3.1 million |
| Average age | 37 | 58 |
Websites
Coeur D’Alene: https://coeurdalene.org/
Harrison: http://www.harrisonidaho.org/
Our Impressions of Coeur d’Alene and Harrison
Geographically Coeur d’Alene is in the panhandle, or northern section of Idaho. We also visited Harrison, a very small community about an hour’s drive south of Coeur d’Alene.
Coeur d’Alene is pronounced by locals as “core-duh-lane”. In French, it means “heart of the awl” and is what the French traders called the Native Americans they met in northern Idaho. It is a reference to the sharpness of the trading skills exhibited by the tribal members in their dealings with visitors. The name stuck and is the name for the lake, the mountains, the city, and the English name for the Coeur d’Alene native people.
Coeur d’Alene is often shortened and referred to as “CDA”.
Coeur d’Alene is a spectacular one-of-a-kind place. It is a small city that has everything: friendly people, great food, a good mix of local and chain restaurants and businesses, plenty of indoor and outdoor activities for all ages and all activity levels and a vibrant downtown with no parking meters on the streets.
We are very much attracted to water (ocean, lakes, rivers). Frequently an area will have water, but very little public access. That is NOT true in both CDA and Harrison. There are plenty of areas in both communities to enjoy hiking near the water, fishing or swimming. In so many areas of the country water access is restricted to gated communities or places where you pay an access fee and/or a parking fee. This is a true anomaly!
Both communities are laid back, with a relaxed vibe. What wonderful places!
Attractions
CDA Lake Cruises. We took a six-hour boat cruise the length of CDA Lake and down the St. Joe River. What a pleasurable day spent on the water! The captain was knowledgeable and informative about what we were seeing on either side of the boat. You could also purchase a buffet lunch (which we did!). We spent most of our time on the upper deck, but there was also an air-conditioned area if that was more to your liking. We would highly recommend taking one of their Lake tours!
CDA Scenic By-Way. This is a spectacular 60-mile drive to Harrison. As you are driving south, you can see CDA Lake on one side and the mountains on the other. It is a wonderful scenic drive.
Downtown CDA Street Fair. This is an annual event occurring on the first weekend in August. In 2023 it was their 31st year! There were over 250 vendors of all kinds lining Sherman Street, the major downtown street. All of the businesses and restaurants along Sherman Street were open as usual.
McEuen Waterfront Park. This is a large beautiful waterfront park with free public beaches, hiking trails and picnic tables. It is also where the CDA Cruises depart from.
Museum of North Idaho. There is a lot of information in the museum about native son Gregory “Pappy” Boyington who was born in CDA in 1912. At 31, he was older than most of his flying peers and was given the nickname, “Pappy”. He held the record in WWII for shooting down 28 Japanese fighters, more than any other aviator.
Tubbs Hill Waterfront Park. Another free waterfront park in CDA. There are a lot of hiking trails up, over and around Tubbs Hill. There are hiking trails for all levels, from simple, flat trails to the strenuous trails going up and over the hill! Beachfront access is available here, too!
Food and Drink
Bardenay Restaurant and Distillery. An excellent dining experience near the waterfront. There is outside seating that allows for patio seating overlooking a man-made pond in the Riverstone area. The food was excellent and the wait staff attentive.
Elmer’s Restaurant. Casual dining away from the waterfront area. We had breakfast here. The food was good, and the service was fast.
Garnet Café. This is one busy little breakfast and lunch restaurant! They close at 2 p.m. everyday. Breakfast options include “green eggs and ham”! Really good food, fast service. And the best part? It is right next door to the Tamarack Campground!
Cosmic Cowboy Grill. Simple, casual dining away from the waterfront area. Hamburgers and hotdogs. Fast service, good food. (We have just found out that The Cosmic Cowboy Grill permanently closed after we visited.)
Panhandle Cone and Coffee. Ice cream in a variety of flavors from vanilla or chocolate to some unusual flavors like bourbon and honeycomb or peach mango habanero!
Very smooth and creamy ice cream.
Home Base: The Campground]
For us, a campground is not our destination. Our RV is self-contained. Except for water, electric and sewer rarely do we use campground services or amenities. We are explorers, not campground reviewers!
We stayed on site E3 at Tamarack RV Park and Vacation Rentals in Coeur d’Alene. 30 and 50 amp service were available. The campground was clean and well maintained. The staff was friendly. There were lots of trees and shade, great during the hot summer months. Our full hook up (water-sewer-electric) site was on level gravel. Our back in site was long enough to have both vehicles off the road. There was good cell phone coverage (Verizon) and a good open southern sky for our satellite. Easy off and on I-90, 3 miles from downtown.
We would definitely stay here again.
Fun Facts
CDA is 99 miles from the Canadian border.
There are 135 miles of shoreline in CDA Lake.
At 2,219 feet, the St. Joe River is the highest in elevation navigable river in the world!
The CDA area claims Paul Bunyan as a native son. Bangor, Maine would beg to differ with this distinction!
The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course’s famous 14th Hole, The Floating Green, is recognized around the globe as an iconic feat of engineering and design, and a formidable test for players of all skill levels. The first and only floating, movable island golf green is a 2,200-ton marvel that changes position via an intricate, underwater cable system.
Summary
Coeur d’Alene is a magical place. That really sums it up. We can’t wait to return!
Your partners in travel,
Kathryn, Dave and Lucky
RVing Nomads
It’s a lifestyle
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If you haven’t checked out our Special Places & Recommendations page, please do so. If you are in these areas, you may find these places as enjoyable and rewarding as we did!